The Interview
by ImaginaryGirlxx
Summary: One-shot follow up to You Came Back. House goes for an interview with Dr Whale at Storybrooke Hospital.


**Thanks everyone for the great response to my other story 'You Came Back'. As promised, a little follow-up to that. Let me know what you think with that magic little review box at the bottom ;)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own House or OUAT. This makes me sad!**

House approached Storybrooke's small hospital, eyeing it with a look of distrust. He started to question why he was even doing this. They had no need for a… wait, who was he kidding? Everyone needed someone like him around, especially in a town as crazy as this. Anyway, he was doing this for Emma. If he had to deal with the Evil Queen and Dr Frankenstein then he would just have to suck it up. He'd put up with Chase and his annoying accent for long enough. He could do this.

The automatic doors opened kindly for him, revealing an almost painfully white reception area. He asked at the desk for Dr Whale and took a seat to wait.

While he waited he scanned the few people in the room. He recognised one of them, a dwarf who he'd been told was Sneezy. The name definitely suited him, something that he'd found with most of the dwarves. Sneezy was probably here for some antihistamines, House concluded. The next person his eyes fell on was the woman who'd served him at the diner a few times: Granny. Judging by her squint as she tried to read the paper she was here about her eyesight.

Before House had a chance to diagnose the rest of the room's ailments, he was called forward by Dr Whale. House followed him into an office as large as Cuddy's, or at least a lot bigger than he had any use for.

"So, Dr House, Emma tells me you're looking for a job here." Whale started.

"Like I told her, I'm here for the scenery." He replied. Whale didn't look impressed and House had a feeling they weren't going to get along.

"I understand that you specialise in infectious diseases and diagnostic medicine?" He asked. House nodded. "Do you have much experience working in the ER or a clinic?"

"My old boss liked to force me into the clinic a lot but the ER was more Emma's specialty."

"Well, Dr House this is a small town and as of now we don't have any need for someone who works solely on diagnostic cases, as I've heard from your old boss. We always need more help in our clinic though, which is where you would be spending the majority of your time here."

House sighed, asking himself again why he was doing this. Still, he bit down a snarky remark and nodded again in agreement. The interview process was definitely not something House enjoyed. He liked to be in control of a conversation but had been warned very firmly by Emma not to get on Whale's bad side straight away. He needed this job much more then the small hospital needed him, or at least that was her argument. House couldn't see why they wouldn't hire him, personally, but he continued to bite his tongue for Emma.

The interview continued for a while with Whale asking about his previous experience and why he thought he was suited for the job.

"How would you describe your interaction style with patients?" Whale asked.

"I'm a real 'people person'." He said dryly. Whale raised an eyebrow. "I can be nice to the patients who aren't idiots, or if they are _very_ hot, but I always get the medicine right and that's what you need." House argued.

"And what is your understanding of magical illnesses?"

"There's always a scientific cure." House argued. "You just don't have enough good doctors to be able to find it." He watched as Dr Whale scribbled something down in his notebook but couldn't make it out through his terrible handwriting.

"Finally, is there anything you wanted to ask me?"

"Yes. I didn't know Dr Frankenstein was a fairy tale character."

"That's a bit personal." Whale commented.

"Call it scientific curiosity." House smirked, enjoying how flustered Whale was getting.

"If you must know I had a connection with Mr Gold. The details are not important." House rolled his eyes. He'd have to read up on that book Emma showed him later. "Ok, Dr House. I'll be in touch." He said with what was quite obviously a false smile and House left the office. He was really starting to dislike Whale. Still, he did enjoy the idea of a fresh puzzle to work on and finding out exactly what made Dr Frankenstein tick was the puzzle of a lifetime. If only Wilson could see him now.

When he'd called to tell him that both he and Emma were planning to stay in Storybrooke Wilson had all but fainted in shock. He'd been eager to visit but House wasn't quite ready to share this new mystery with anyone yet. Still, he knew eventually he'd miss his closest friend. Who else would keep him from getting in trouble with the law? Actually, he realised that as 'the law' in this town consisted of his girlfriend and her father, he was in a better position than he had been in Princeton.

Wilson had spent hours on the phone with House the night before prepping him for his interview. It was as if he had no faith in him at all, which was probably a reasonable assumption. Emma had tried to do the same thing shortly after but he'd brushed her off, not wanting to take interview tips from someone who he'd had to interview himself all those years ago. For whatever reason, she'd seemed to accept it. She knew House's need to be in control of situations like that and didn't push it.

House reached Emma's apartment, where he'd been spending most nights recently, in very little time at all. It was a feat he attributed almost entirely to his newly healed leg, although the fact that the town was so small helped somewhat.

"How did it go?" She asked as he entered the small apartment. Not for the first time, it occurred to him that it was slightly too small for five people to live in and he made a mental note to start looking for places where he, Emma and Henry could live. Wait, when did he become so domestic?

Bringing himself back to the present, he answered Emma's question in much the way she'd expected. "Whale was an idiot but…"

"But you don't want to take a step down like I did and stop being a doctor?" Emma finished for him. House had been trying to persuade her since they returned to try and get a job at the hospital with him. She knew very well his feelings on the matter but she enjoyed being Sherriff and it wasn't a job she wanted to give up, especially with Regina all but ruling the town still.

"He said he'd let me know by the end of the day."

"That's good." Emma smiled.

"He asked me about magical illnesses." House commented, waiting to see Emma's reaction. She didn't appear shocked at this, something that should've caused him to burst out with laughter. He was surprised that it didn't. What was this town doing to him?

"Well you've seen what Hook did to Mr Gold." She pointed out. "You couldn't find the scientific sure to that."

"I probably could've if you'd given me time. We were still getting new symptoms."

"I'm starting to think him waking up from the coma wasn't a real symptom."

House raised an eyebrow. "Was it another one of your 'magic tricks'?" He asked sarcastically.

"I remember wishing he could just get better and we could go home and then you got a page saying he'd woken up."

"Coincidence." House insisted. "You can't make someone better just by wishing it."

"Of everything that's happened in this town, that's probably the most believable thing. You've seen the research on what positive thinking can do." She argued. House's expression seemed to change to one she recognised from her years working with him. It was the one he'd get when he'd just solved a puzzle or had an idea that he deemed genius.

"How do you feel about doing some tests?" He asked.

"What tests?" Emma replied, slightly worried about where this was going.

"There's got to be a scientific principle behind this 'magic'." He said, making air quotes with his fingers. "Let me run some tests: fMRI, EEG, blood tests, galvanic skin response…" He listed.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You're not going to stop until you find something, are you?" House gave her a look as if to say 'Do you even know me at all?' and she sighed. What was she getting herself in to? "Fine but I get a say in the tests. Remember, I've seen what you've put patients through in order to get your answer."

"Deal." House smiled.

House had barely been back an hour when he received a phone call from Dr Whale.

"Dr House, I'd like to offer you the job at Storybrooke Hospital. You can start on Monday."

"Nice to know you're smarter than you look. I'll be in around noon."

"You'll be in at nine." Whale said firmly, already starting to regret what he was getting himself in to.

House hung up the phone with a smile as he heard Emma laughing behind him. This was going to be fun.

_Fin._

**Hoped you liked it :) If anyone wants to adopt this universe for a one-shot or sequel drop me a PM! They're quite fun characters to write about :)**


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